Getting outside, the sunlight is strong.
I look at the weather on my phone and it seems that it’ll reach 30 degrees today.
What an insane temperature.
Well then, it’s hot, and I have the two waiting for me, so I have to get back as soon as possible.
Since I have money to spare, I won’t hesitate to choose a mode of transportation other than the train.
I head down to the main street where it’s easier to hail a taxi as I think of what clothes to buy.
For now, I can just go around Uni*lo as they have stable ones.
You can look for women’s clothing there and you won’t stand out.
First, buy clothes appropriate for their age, and also get them dressed for outside.
I can take them later for the real dressing up.
Nia’s the problem, but I guess we have to use the plan I had before.
Then, I should look around other places.
I said I was going to buy clothes, but this is the first time I’m buying clothes for a girl.
As I was walking along, trying to figure out what to put on her head, I noticed a figure walking towards me from the other side of the sidewalk, then stopped.
When I turned my attention, I saw two men I’d never seen before.
I jogged my memory a little and I immediately flipped knowing who it was.
But, I reminded myself that it would be stupid, so I just walked toward them.
「 Hello, Kotori-san. It’s been a while. Do you remember? I’m Takahashi, I spoke to you the other day, well, a little longer than that 」
「 It’s been a while indeed 」
Waiting for me was a man who appear to be my age, and another one in his prime.
They were the pair of police officers who visited my room before.
The police officer of mature age, who named himself Takahashi, smiled when he saw me, but the man in his prime didn’t change his expression.
「 Man, I finally got to see you again. We’ve come and visited you so many times, but you seem away, so I wondered what happened. But I’m glad I saw you now. We even tried calling your number, but you seem out of range the entire time which worried us 」
「 Oh, you’re right. I’m sorry. My phone wasn’t turned on most of the time 」
I apologized, bowing my head, then Takahashi-san inhaled and speak up.
「 I know that you’re on a trip, but can I have a few minutes of your time? It’s about the disappearance of the high-school students we talked about before if that’s alright 」
Hey now, seriously?
Man, this is bothersome, but I can’t just leave them
Things will just be more troublesome than now if I turned them down
「 Well, if it’s only for a few minutes 」
「 Ooh, thank you for your cooperation…Motoko, get the car 」
Takahashi told the man and he turned around.
「 Huh? Am I getting dragged away? 」
「 Yes, could you accompany us to the station? It’s still early, but I worry about Kotori-san’s health if we talk outside this season 」
「 I’ll be fine. We can talk on that shade there 」
「 No, no, you have to be careful this season. We have aircon at the station, so let’s talk there 」
「 That’s optional, right? I have plans today so I have to come back right away, can we? 」
「 Let’s see, we’re just asking you as a witness, so if it were someone else, a convenient day would be fine, but… Kotori-san, you’re often away from home, and you can’t be reached, so we’d like to hear from you now if possible. Can we ask you to do that? But of course, it’s all voluntary 」
Takahashi-san says that it’s voluntary, but he seems to give off the air that he won’t accept rejection.
Hey now, stop with that scam.
I said that I’ll leave it to you, but I won’t let myself get dragged down
While I was screaming in my mind that this is an unreasonable yet understandable investigation policy, a sedan stopped next to us.
「 Let’s go, Kotori-san 」
「 Sure 」
I feel like they’re taking me away
I did as I was told and got into the back seat and the car started driving.
There wasn’t any conversation in the car, and it was almost silent.
I don’t sense any heavy atmosphere.
However, looking out the window, I feel uncomfortable enough to be in this space that I thought about smashing the glass with my fist and escaping or doing some other disturbing things like kicking the door open with all my might.
I arrived at the police station as I was thinking that while gazing at the cityscape.
This is the place where I had been once in the past to renew my driver’s license
The car stops at the parking lot, and the man called Motoki, the driver, gets out of the car and opens the door.
He seems to be polite, but when they do this at the police station, you can’t help but see it as someone getting arrested.
「 Kotori-san, this way 」
The good natured-look he had on his face got replaced by a serious look as Takahashi-san leads me to the police station
During my license renewal, I was slightly nervous because of the location, but my interest in the police station outweighed that.
However, this is different when you’re brought in by a police officer.
It’s mostly the sense of hassle, but the remaining part would be asking yourself if you’re guilty of something.
We got on the elevator and went to the third floor.
The door opens, and the mood changed a bit, unlike the previous locations where non-police personnel were also present.
Is that an interrogation room at the end of the corridor?
Strangely, the tension builds.
With those emotions in mind, I proceed down the passageway, and the door in front of me opened.
I looked at the room to see if it was an interrogation room and a person was inside.
He’s a man in uniform, who’s about 50 in his age.
He looked this way and squinted at Takahashi who was walking ahead.
「 Takahashi, are you using this room? 」
The moment he asked, Takahashi stopped walking…
The suddenness of his action almost made me bump his back.
Before I could even think of asking him what was going on, Takahashi spoke up.
「 Chief. 」
Chief? That’s the chief of the station?
I can’t see Takahashi-san’s expressions, but I can sense the obvious agitation in his voice.
「 Who’s this/ 」
「 A witness. The disappearance case… 」
「 And you’re using the interview room? I didn’t hear about that. Who’s this? 」
「 Kotori-san 」
「 I see. That’s weird I believe that there’s been a directive to remove him from the persons of interest, wasn’t there? 」
Huh? Really
Then, why am I bring brought in?
Does this mean that Takahashi was acting on his own?
Hey now, what are you doing?!
I mean, I was already taken off the list, right?
I think I’m a pretty shady guy if you ask me.
Why would you take out a person from the investigation without questioning?
For what it’s worth, I came to the police station without resisting because I know that I’m like that.
Huh?
Wait, is this what the boss meant when he said that he’ll take care of it?
While I was thinking things in my head, Takahashi-san and the chief continued.
「 I-I know that, but didn’t Chief also know that there’s suspicion that he had something to do with the case?! Why is he suddenly removed from the persons of interest? 」
「 That’s because the headquarters determined that Kotori-san wasn’t involved in the case 」
「 T-That’s just weird! 」
「 Takahashi, I know how you feel, but you have to follow orders. You know that you can’t act without permission, don’t you? 」
「 I know… 」
Takahashi-san said, and he slowly turned back to me.
He was smiling, but there was a sense of frustration in him.
「 I’m very sorry Kotori-san, we have to cancel our conversation today. I’m truly sorry. I’ll lead you back to where you were earlier, come with me 」
「 Is that so? 」
No, I’d rather not.
I mean, I was right in calling it suspicious.
But, saying that I’m involved here won’t help, and if I did that, I’ll lose my freedom, and they’ll detain me for long if things don’t go well.
Takahashi-san, sorry but you have to give up.
I’m feeling sorry for the good police officer who was turning back the way we came, but then…
The chief speaks up with a strict look.
「 Takahashi, I will be guiding Kotori-san off. Return to your department and investigate the brawl that happened the other day 」
「 Yes. Kotori-san, sorry to bother you again, but I will be leaving 」
Takahashi-san bowed lightly and left
Motoki, looking unconvinced, followed after Takahashi, leaving the chief and me in the place.
He watched them walk away, then came to me with a bow.
「 I’m sorry Kotori-san. I’ve caused you some inconvenience 」
「 Not at all, he was just trying to do his job as a police officer, no apology needed 」
「 I’m thankful to hear that. By the way, where are you headed? 」
「 I was heading out to do some shopping. I can walk from here, it’s close 」
「 Is that so? 」 I’ll guide you down then 」
This time, the chief guides me from the third floor to the first floor.
Every time we pass by an office, they give the chief a nod but don’t look at me as I pass by and give me a mildly suspicious look.
I guess that’s part of their job.
We followed the open path on the first floor and came to the place where we could see the exit.
I can go shopping now.
I looked out of the glass wall to check if the radio tower that would mark my destination is visible, then the chief looked back at me.
He turns his gaze at me from a higher spot.
「 Ktori-san, I just want to ask… 」
After being alone with me, I thought that this man might be relatively calm by nature, but he was still a higher-up in the organization.
He gives a sharp look like it’s not all.
I nodded and the chief continued.
「 I just want to confirm, are you not involved with the disappearances? 」
That’s not a doubtful expression.
Those are some eyes that can tell the subtleties.
I should take this question seriously.
However, this is the only answer I can give.
「 I don’t think there’s anything I can do to help the police in that case 」
「 Is that so? I was hoping that you’d know something, that’s unfortunate 」
The chief quietly cast down his eyes, turned his back on me, and walked away.
I followed him to the exit, and he turned to me again.
「 I’m sorry for the trouble today. Have fun with your shopping. Also, a word of advice. No matter how well-spoken he is among those people, it’s not advisable to trust him so easily. I don’t know the extent of your relationship, but you need to cut him off as soon as possible 」
I’m sure that he’s pointing at the gang leader.
As expected, I got removed from the persons of interest list because of the boss
「 Thank you for your worry. I’ll be fine. Even if he makes a move, I’ll just run away. I’ll be getting away with all my heart so please help me out when that happens 」
「 I just hope it doesn’t turn into that. This is as far as I can go 」
The chief turned and walked back to the station.
「 Phew. It feels amazing to get released. Let’s hurry and get out of this place 」
Now that I’m alone, I walked from the police station back to the city.
Still, it almost went bad.
For a moment, my childish, rather, violent mind jumped out, and I almost said that if the boss made a bad move, I would kill them all at worst.
It may have been an effective tool against those who live in the other world, or even here, but for the rest of the world, that’s a total villain move.
Oh man, my sense of violence has gone crazy.
I need to fix that in the future.
Well then, get to shopping.
I look up at the sky and started walking towards the huge radio tower I could see between buildings.